After being delayed for so long along the way, it wasn't until the sun was setting that the carriage slowly stopped in front of the gatehouse of Princess Yongning's mansion.
Xiao Yu opened the car window and looked outside. This was his first time coming to the eldest princess's mansion.
The afterglow of the setting sun reflects on the double eaves and tiles of the gatehouse, adding a touch of softness and warmth to this magnificent mansion.
Xiao Yu handed over the greeting note he had written in advance to a servant.
Pan Duo on the side said scornfully: "There's no need to go to such trouble! I have to give you a greeting card when I get home."
Xiao Yu curled his lips. He had another purpose for his trip to the princess. It was just a pretext to send Pan Duo home.
But he didn't expect that the Prince Consort would always be entangled in the matter of returning home, and changed his mind repeatedly before leaving.
Xiao Yu had no choice but to write this greeting note in his own hand, which he felt was awkward even when he read it.
Now that I have written it, it would be a shame not to use it.
Xiao Yu ignored Pan Duo.
"Send it over."
When the servant received the order, he went to knock on the door.
After a while, the concierge opened the door, and the servant handed over the greeting card. The two exchanged a few words, and then the servant came back.
"How is it?" Xiao Yu asked.
"When I replied to the young prince, the porter said that he would accept the invitation and ask the young prince to come back another day. The eldest princess has been summoned to the palace. I don't know how long it will take for her to come back."
Xiao Yu frowned: "I know."
Pan Duo on the side laughed loudly after hearing this. It seemed that every time Xiao Yu encountered an embarrassing situation, it made him happy for a while.
"What else are you reporting? I am here, and guests are not allowed to enter the house yet. The princess will leave the house for at least one day, or at most several days. If she cannot come back, you can stay with me for a while and accompany me to relax. ." After Pan Duo said this, he waved his knife and fan, got off the carriage and walked to the gate of the mansion in a big way.
Xiao Yu and Qingxue looked at each other.
Qingxue's eyes turned into crescent moons again when she smiled, but Xiao Yu looked embarrassed. He kept trying to get rid of the sticky plaster, but it seemed to be getting tighter and tighter.
After a while, the main door of the princess's mansion opened wide, and all the male and female servants from the mansion filed out and lined up outside the mansion to greet her.
Pan Duo swaggered back to the carriage and said proudly: "Xiao Dalang, this scene does not disgrace your status as the prince of Jiangxia!"
"No humiliation."
After Qingxue straightened Xiao Yu's clothes, he got out of the car.
Xiao Yu looked at the servants of the eldest princess who were waiting in front of the door. A middle-aged man in a soap-colored robe who looked like a steward was standing at the front of the crowd, nodding and bowing to him.
Xiao Yu smiled at him and looked back at Pan Duo.
"Pan Consort, since you have arrived home safely, I have taken care of my worries. Consort Pan, please rest well at home. I will visit you another day."
After Xiao Yu finished speaking, he handed over his hands and was about to leave, but Pan Duo held him back.
"Wait! Wait! Xiao Dalang, what do you mean?"
"The princess is not here, and I have no reason to be here anymore. I sent you here, and it's time for me to go home."
"Well... the princess may be back soon. Why don't you wait here?"
"What if you don't come back?"
"Then...then let me go back with you!"
"How is that possible? It took a lot of effort to get you back."
"Look at that day!"
Xiao Yu looked up at the sky. The clouds on the horizon were as red as fire. It was getting late and the sun was about to set.
"Curfew...can you rush back to Qingxi before the curfew? And the overseas Chinese community. If something happens there at night, the Fifth Guards Army will not dare to intervene."
Xiao Yu had been bored in the house in the past and had never encountered a curfew. When Pan Duo said this, he felt that he had indeed ignored this.
Although he was the crown prince of Jiangxia, he still had some trouble when he encountered people from the Tingwei Department or the Five Guards Army on the way.
Look at Qingxue again, such a beautiful couple. If she doesn't meet Mr. Dongfang this time, but meets Mr. Dongfang, Dongfang Bubai or something like that, there's no guarantee that she won't get into trouble.
Zhang Huyuan is still feeling groggy now, and he always deviates to the right when walking. Just now, he almost veered into a stinking ditch.
"Well, I will reluctantly do it and wait here for the princess."
"Reluctantly? Xiao Dalang, you are looking for a beating!"
…
The accompanying servant Ding Huyuan followed the steward of the Princess Mansion to the backyard, while Xiao Yu and Qingxue followed Pan Duo and entered from the main entrance.
As soon as they passed the second courtyard gate, they saw a man walking in a hurry and coming towards them.
"Brother Zhibai." Pan Duo stepped forward and quickly handed over his hand.
"Captain Prince Consort." The man was slightly surprised to see Pan Duo coming towards him.
"Brother Zhibai, where are you going?"
"People came from my hometown and brought back news about my parents. Now they are going to meet the villagers."
"Oh..." Pan Duo nodded thoughtfully, "Brother Zhibai left early and came back early."
The visitor said goodbye in a hurry and passed by Xiao Yu. As they passed each other, the two of them looked at each other.
Xiao Yu marveled in his heart, this man's appearance was extremely beautiful, comparable to that of the consort Pan Duo, but he was tall and tall. Although he was as well-dressed as the nobles of the Southern Dynasties, he was not as soft and graceful as the southern water towns. He is decisive and capable in killing, and his temperament does not conflict with the loose clothes and long sleeves, but it is a kind of beauty that is different from Jiangzuo's style.
When the other party saw Xiao Yu's eyes flashing, he turned around and hurried away.
A long time after the man walked out of the second entrance, Xiao Yu was still full of curiosity about that man. That handsome and majestic figure was too impressive!
"With such a handsome man in the family, no wonder the Prince Consort doesn't want to come back?" Xiao Yu said such a strange sentence unknowingly.
The prince-in-law Pan Duo's face changed drastically. He jumped up and cursed: "Well, you Xiao Dalang, it doesn't matter if you slander me, you are slandering the eldest princess here again! What kind of face, you... you..."
As Pan Duo was talking about this, several more young men appeared on the corridor in front of him. Although they were not as good-looking as Pan Duo and the man who had just left in a hurry, they were all handsome, handsome and had extraordinary bearing.
Xiao Yu pursed his lips: "Who are those people?"
Pan Duo was speechless for a moment, his face turned pale with anger, and he turned his head and ignored Xiao Yu.
Qingxue who was standing next to her covered her mouth and smiled: "Little prince, those are the princess's disciples. The one is Yao Jinghong, a famous scholar in Kuaiji, the shorter one behind is Guangling Zhang Shi, and Wuling Zhang Jue. They are all talented in literature and intellectual. There are talented people in the world. These three people all come from poor families and have difficult career paths. The princess loves their talents and worships them as honored guests. They study literature and calligraphy on weekdays. When they have to worry about state affairs, they are also used as advisers. The eldest princess once said that all three of them have great talents. The talents of the auxiliary will definitely join the center one day and can serve as His Majesty's secretary."
"Are you not good-looking, or do you have a bad face?"
Qingxue smiled dryly: "No."
If it is true as Qingxue said, then this Princess Yongning is really an extraordinary person. As a woman, she is already a very popular minister. If she raises a scholar, she will not be suspected by the emperor. It can only be said that she is preparing for the country. Talent, or she is giving wings to the one sitting high on the throne.
He, the scattered prince of Jiangxia, didn't want to know what it was like in the court now, and he wasn't interested.
Only those who have money, status, and a stable life are worthy of the emperor and the eldest princess.
"I wonder who that person just now was..."
A blush appeared on Qingxue's face: "I don't know, I have never seen him."
There seemed to be a kind of excitement in the girl's tone when a fan saw a celebrity, which made Xiao Yu feel a little unhappy, maybe a little jealous.
Pan Duo turned around and glanced at Xiao Yu contemptuously.
"His name is Yang Hua. He is a Di man. He defected from the Northern Dynasty not long ago. His father is a great man. He is General Yang Dayan of Pingdong of the Northern Dynasty."
Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows: "No wonder he is so handsome that men feel panic when they see him, let alone the Queen Mother Hu of the Northern Dynasty."
Pan Duo looked shocked: "Does Dalang know about him?"
Xiao Yu twisted his mouth again. Originally, it was enough to call him "Da Lang," but now that the word "Xiao" has been omitted, the next step should be "Da Lang, take medicine."
"I know. When I was eating in a restaurant the day before yesterday, I heard from nearby diners that a young general who was favored by Empress Dowager Hu of the Northern Dynasty had defected to our country. It must be him."
This sentence is true. Although Xiao Yu has his own divine perspective and knows who this Yang Hua is, he did hear someone discussing the unclear relationship between him and the Empress Dowager Hu of the Northern Dynasty when he and Qingxue were eating at Qingyangju. relation.
As for Yang Hua's defection, only one sentence is omitted in the history books, which leaves infinite reverie for future generations.
"This Yang Hua has joined our court, why does he appear in your house? It can't be..."
"Xiao Dalang, if you slander the princess again, I will drive you out with a stick!"
If it was still early, would Xiao Yu still use him to catch up? He had slipped out earlier, but now the sun was fading.
The sound of bells and drums from the Drum Tower was faintly heard in the distance. Closing time was approaching and the curfew was about to begin.
He looked back at the second door and saw that Yang Hua had just left.
His actions did not make anyone in the house suspicious, so why should he, an outsider, worry so much!
Pan Duo on the side saw Xiao Yu walking slowly with his head down, as if he was worried and didn't speak. He thought that his previous words had neglected him, so he continued to talk along the lines of the previous topic.
"Actually, I haven't met him in person. I heard Longxiang General Shen Tianhua talk about that night banquet. It is said that when Yang Hua suddenly appeared at the head of Guoyang City with a thousand deployments that day, the Guoyang prefect thought He, Yang Hua, is here to deceive the city! He shuts the city gate tightly and does not come out.
"Later, yellow sand rolled in from the north of the city. They were five thousand cavalry from the Northern Dynasty. Wang Maoze, the prefect of Guoyang, was still complacent. Fortunately, he did not open the door to accept the surrender. If the city gate had been opened, the Huaiyin portal would have been lost.
"But they saw that Yang Hua refused to open the door, and led a thousand men to turn back to fight. The battle was so brutal. Yang Hua originally had silver armor and white robes, but when he fought to the end, his silver armor and white robes were stained with blood. Those who followed him Bu Qu also fell down and died one after another.
"Wang Maoze saw Yang Hua's rare bravery and knew from this situation that he was not coming to deceive the city, so he led the Guoyang garrison to cover up the attack and escort Yang Hua into the city.
"Yang Hua stayed in Xuzhou in the north for many months. He was ordered to come to Beijing three months ago and was granted the title of Marquis of Yiyang County, the general of the auxiliary army, and the governor of Guangling. Because of his handsome appearance, he was favored by women in the capital, and Taifu Wang Miao wanted to recruit him as his son-in-law. , Yang Hua refused, which angered the Langya Wang family. He wrote to Zhongtai Cambodia, slandering Yang Hua as a seller seeking glory and having impure intentions.
"Yang Hua was furious. He resigned and was not given the seal of honor. He had no place to go in the capital. On that day, he went to the palace to give a banquet. All the royal family members were there. The royal ladies and ladies were all fascinated by Yang Hua's grace and grace, especially your ninth sister Jincheng. Princess Xiao Yurong.
"Xiao Yurong begged your majesty to be a matchmaker. Your majesty didn't like to worry about marriage, so he left this matter to you, Huang Zi. Yu Wan looked at Yang Hua's demeanor and saw that steel is very easy to break, so she had no choice but to slow down and worship in the palace. As a guest of honor. Princess Jincheng came to the house in three or two days, and the two of them got along very well. It seems that Yang Hua also cares about Princess Jincheng very much. It won't be long before everything comes to an end."
Pan Duo said this, and Xiao Yu listened carefully.
He asked: "What is your Majesty's impression of Yang Hua?"
"They should have a good impression. A surrendered general will be granted the title of Marquis of Yiyang County or General of the State after he enters the capital. How many military generals have to accumulate military merits for many years to get this? Then Yang Hua was granted the title easily but resigned in the end. If it were someone else, Your Majesty has been beaten to death with sticks long ago, but your Majesty is extremely tolerant of Yang Hua."
"Your Majesty wants to win over him and keep him as a confidant! A high-ranking official with a good salary will marry a princess." Xiao Yu paused, "If he really marries Princess Jincheng, do you think this relationship can be happy?"
"How can one be unhappy?"
"Are you happy then?"
Pan Duo was speechless, he cleared his throat, put his hands behind his back and walked ahead.
After passing through another courtyard gate, there is a lotus bush in front of me, and a small bluestone bridge winds to a pavilion on the water.
"Where is this?" Xiao Yu asked.
"Shuiyun Pavilion." Qingxue replied.
Pan Duo said twice more and looked back at Qingxue.
Qingxue stuck out her tongue, crossed her hands at her waist, and returned to the submissive look a maid should have.
"This is my special place for entertaining guests. It's not a big place, but it's comfortable to stay in. Others can't affect our enjoyment, and we can't affect others' worries about the country and the country."
Pan Duo said, he waved, and saw the lights on the three-story pavilion were lit at the same time, and the elegant sound of silk and bamboo came from the pavilion.
It seems that this guy is really used to corruption, and there is a special person waiting here to serve him for his own indulgence.
"Xiao Dalang, I bought a few new dancers and musicians at my house, and they just happened to accompany me to taste them tonight. By the way, there is also good wine, which is much better than the mash juice at your house."
"Drink less! How much food will be wasted, and many people still don't have enough to eat! And be less indulgent, and don't worry about your kidney deficiency."
Pan Duo said disdainfully: "Not even the prime ministers and ministers of the court are as concerned about state affairs as you are. Xiao Dalang, when you are born in an emperor's family, you must have the dignity of the royal family. If you are in an ordinary commoner's family, if you don't have enough food, clothing or warmth, it can only be said that they are their fault. If you have a bad fate, you can't blame others. Since the Five Husties and the Jin Dynasty's march southward, there have been more than tens of millions of corpses scattered across the fields? Life in this world is like morning dew, who knows what will happen tomorrow? Taking pleasure in the present is the right way."
Xiao Yu sighed. Perhaps in this era, most people think like Pan Duo. Life is unpredictable, dynasties change, and wars continue. You really don't know what will happen tomorrow.
Therefore, in this era of open-mindedness, everyone is pursuing self-liberation and expressing their individuality. This is determined by the fact that history has reached this point.
Although he comes from a certain moment in the future, what can he change alone in this historical tide?
Are we like light and dust, living together and dying together in the obscurity?
"Okay, Prince Consort Pan, I'll have fun with you today, and I won't come back until I'm drunk!"
"Okay!" Pan Duo slapped his thigh and said, "Play the music, "Feng Qiu Huang"!"
The sound of silk and bamboo suddenly rose, cheerful and melodious, and the three of them were about to go to the small pavilion in the middle of the lake.
There were several muffled sounds behind him, like winter thunder, and then the ground shook slightly.
"Is it going to rain?" Pan Duo looked back blankly.
"No." Xiao Yu frowned, "This is not thunder."
"Little prince, look! There is fire over there." Qingxue pointed behind her.
Xiao Yu then turned around and saw smoke rising outside the backyard wall behind him. The firelight illuminated the surrounding pavilions and buildings, and there was a roar of people.
